


Just Drive

by van_writes



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Driving, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fear of Death, Fluff and Angst, Grandparents & Grandchildren, Hurt/Comfort, Oneshot, Outer Space, Platonic Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rick Being an Asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29934924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/van_writes/pseuds/van_writes
Summary: A couple of months after getting in a bus accident during a school trip, Morty finds himself feeling incredibly uncomfortable with the idea of driving. Despite his unconfidence, Rick manages to talk him into taking the ship out for a practice drive and Morty is forced to face his fears head on.
Relationships: Rick Sanchez & Morty Smith
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Just Drive

**Author's Note:**

> just a little oneshot!

* * *

Morty felt so small. So terribly tiny. Weak. Pathetic.

He stretched out his arms uncomfortably, fingers trying desperately to clutch the steering wheel in a way that appeared natural and easy going.

The seat felt too big for his ass.

His legs felt _miles_ away from the gas and brake pedals.

And Rick was watching him through a half-lidded gaze that was filled with disappointment and annoyance. 

"Uh, Earth to Morty? Start the car, dipass," as if on cue, Rick pronounced himself from the passenger seat, fingers impatiently fiddling with the metal tongue of the seatbelt he, for _some_ reason, refused to put on. 

Morty's cheeks burned under his leer as he fumbled with the keys that his grandfather has thrown into his lap, tiny beads of sweat beginning to gather at his temple. 

"R-right, right," he quickly replied, finally jamming the key into the ignition. For some reason, despite his brain ordering him to twist the key clockwise like he had seen Rick and the _rest_ of the world do to start a car, his hands did the opposite. The key didn't budge. The car did not crank. Morty quickly corrected the action, hoping to God that Rick hadn't noticed. 

_I'm so fuckin' stupid,_ Morty thought to himself with a curse, thankful that the ship's air conditioning was already set to full blast as the engine came to life. It felt so freakin hot in there. 

After adjusting his seat's distance from the pedals, _(Morty honestly forgot how much taller his grandpa was than him)_ the boy clicked his seatbelt into place. 

Just a couple of seconds after cranking the engine did the ship begin to lift, prompting Morty to take off. Trying his best to calm his nerves, Morty's hand went for the radio dial, but his grandpa's fingers quickly swatted him away. 

"Ah-ah- _ah,"_ he scolded, his unibrow quirking up in warning. "Don't mess with _that_ shit. You can hardly hold the wheel, let alone fly with music in your ears. Focus on getting us out of the lot in one piece, eh?" 

Morty quickly returned his attention out the windshield, a massive wave of shame washing over him. Most kids his age already had their permits to drive and here he was, struggling to even start the car. With a deep intake of breath, he tried to pin all of his attention on his surroundings and the mechanics of the ship, but Rick's sharp glares made it nearly impossible. 

"Alright, now, _gently_ press the gas pedal," his grandfather's instructions met Morty's ears with an edge that he had expected, and yet still felt bothered by. 

He swallowed, mouth suddenly feeling bone-dry. Easy. This was easy. All he had to do was press on the gas a little. Gingerly, Morty tapped the pedal on the right, hoping for a gentle ascent. 

Despite being cautious, the rickety UFO lurched briefly skyward, not sudden enough to send Rick flying but enough to have him place a firm hand on the dash to steady himself. 

_"Gently!_ Gently, Morty!" Rick barked, voice sharp and brisk as he composed himself. "J-Just dial back the twitchy shit, okay? It's not that hard." 

Morty gripped the wheel, knuckles slowly beginning to whiten as his anxiety worsened. This wasn't how his first practice drive was supposed to be. He shouldn't have let Rick talk him into it. He just wasn't ready. 

"I'm sorry, Rick, I didn't know–" 

"Just drive, okay?" 

With no option but to shut his mouth, Morty did just that, not feeling bold enough to argue. He lifted the wheel, angling it slightly towards himself, prompting the ship's complete ascension. He carefully pressed the accelerator, and under Rick's watchful eye did he begin to pick up speed. 

The Costco parking lot that Rick had chosen for Morty to practice in began to grow smaller as they departed, the painted lines indicating a space nearly invisible now. Despite being used to watching the ground grow further and further away as a passenger of the ship, Morty still found himself growing queasy at the sight from the driver's position. He forced the bile down with an audible gulp. 

"Keep going until we leave the atmosphere. Yep, keep goin'. Up. Up. Take us up to the stars, mothafuckaaa!" Rick's voice brought him swiftly back into reality as he nudged him with a playful smirk. 

Morty relaxed a little, trying his best to absorb his grandfather's sudden optimism. It wasn't long, however, did that joy fade, as Morty found his visibility out of the front glass was growing poor as they flew into the clouds. Panic slowly crept into his chest, suddenly making his arms feel weak. The steadiness of his hands began to falter slightly as his confidence plummeted. Feeling unsure, Morty's foot eased off the gas in rigid uncertainty. 

Rick seemed to notice this, as his expression stretched into skepticism. "Don't let up on the gas or we'll stall," he warned, leaning forward in his seat a little. "Just keep going up." 

"B-but I c-can't see–" 

"Just do what I say, okay? Damn!" 

Morty clamped his jaw shut, brows furrowing in a mix of concentration and irritation. He pressed the accelerator with just an _ounce_ of attitude, continuing further into the thick gray clouds until their windshield was completely obscured in a whispy haze. Morty bit his lip in apprehension when he felt the old ship rattle in effort to get above the stratosphere, almost sparing Rick a look of concern but deciding against it in fear of taking his eyes off his surroundings. 

Despite the silence and tension, Morty was surprised to hear Rick let out a hum of approval. "Good job, just like that," he praised, and Morty immediately felt a warm sense of pride flourish in his chest. "Just keep your hands steady and your foot on the gas and the ship'll do the rest." 

Morty nodded affirmatively, feeling slightly better behind the wheel. After ensuring that he was maintaining pressure on the gas, he allowed himself to take the pleasure of looking out his driver side window just as they came out of the clouds, and immediately he found himself gaping at the view. 

This particular afternoon had seemed to be ugly and gray from the ground, but now that he was above the thick gloomy blanket of clouds, he found himself swimming in a lovely, warm amber sky. Hot pinks and vivid yellows collided together, birthing a beautiful, breathtaking orange that made Morty feel so safe and cozy. He suddenly wanted nothing more in that moment, than to cuddle up and sleep with his face against the glass. 

"Don't get too distracted, Morty," Rick's voice rattled Morty out of his thoughts, making him jump slightly. "We're not the only one's in the sky, bud." 

Just as the words left his mouth, Morty at once noticed four birds flanking the ship, their beady black eyes looking into the windows with persistent curiosity. Before he could react, his grandpa stretched a long arm inbetween his, his large palm bumping firmly into the center of the wheel. 

_HONK!_

The birds immediately scattered away in a chaotic flutter of wings, making him flinch despite being perfectly safe inside the UFO. 

To Morty's surprise, Rick suddenly let out a mirthful laugh, his old eyes shutting briefly in contentment. "Haha! Did ya see that, Morty? Oh my God that was fucking _priceless!"_

"Y-yeah! Did-did you see how that bird flew s-straight into the other one? That was pretty funny!" Morty agreed with a somewhat genuine chuckle. He wanted to laugh, joke, and goof around, but the wheel locked tightly in his grasp seemed to remind him not to let his guard down by resisting his efforts at keeping it straight. Morty's palms suddenly felt incredibly sweaty. 

"Alright, now, speed up a little and we'll be in space in no time," Rick instructed, leaning back in his seat, seemingly oblivious to his grandson's nerves. "Once we leave Earth's atmosphere, you should begin to notice less resistance while flying." 

Morty hummed in acknowledgement despite just being scared shitless by clouds blocking his view. He blinked, eyes feeling dry and irritated as he stared straight ahead, watching tiredly as the gorgeous amber skies melted away. 

Soon enough, the familiar darkness of space began to swallow Earth's sunset, and not too much time passed before his home planet was but a tiny orb beneath him. 

"We made it off Earth, Rick," Morty reported the obvious, a slight whine tugging at his voice as he dropped a hint that he wanted to trade places with his grandpa."How–h-how did I do?" 

Rick crossed his arms, "Woah, Morty, we're not finished yet, buddy. You c-can't just stop driving on the interstate because you wanna stretch your legs–" 

"I-I just think I'm ready to uh– I just wanna stop now, Rick.." 

"Morty, just drive–" 

_"Maybe I don't wanna fucking drive, okay?!"_

Silence seized the cabin of the ship with icy claws, making Morty's face feel flush with shameful guilt. 

He could feel Rick's eyes boring into him, no doubtedly confused and shocked with his sudden outburst. "Damn, where the hell did _this_ grandson come from? I thought you wa- _uurrp!_ -aanted to drive." 

Morty bit his lip, and already he felt the familiar pricking of angry tears burn just behind his eyes as he tried to hold them in. 

_Don't you dare fucking cry._

"S-shows what you know, doesn't it?" He finally spat, brows furrowing as he swallowed his stammer. "You really don't pay any attention, do you?" 

Rick's face contorted, his features shifting from slight concern to angry indignation. "Excuse me? What the fuck is your problem? B-because if I'm not mistaken, like what, two months ago you were _begging_ me for the goddamn keys–" 

"Just, just, just–" 

"Just _what,_ Morty?!" 

"Just leave me alone!" 

"How about you just fucking calm down and not wreck the car?!" 

Morty's fingers were so tightly wrapped around the steering wheel now he was almost certain it'd break in two. They were still going up, up, up even as they argued, eventually catching Rick's attention. 

"Get the hell off the gas and straighten out the wheel," any bit of buoyancy in Rick's voice from before was completely gone now as he gripped the small handle just above the passenger side door, eyes now pinned out the windshield with an intensity that made Morty want to shrink away. 

Despite being utterly pissed off at his igcognizant grandpa, he did as he was told without rebuttal. The ship groaned in relief as soon as he moved his foot off the accelerator, slightly jerking Morty forward at the sudden deceleration. His seatbelt held him tightly in place as the car began to slow down before finally releasing him with an audible _zip!_

"See that alien gas station? Park there." 

Morty clenched his teeth. The curtness in his grandpa's voice suddenly making him feel the need to apologize, but then again, why seek forgiveness? He hadn't done anything wrong. Why couldn't Rick be more understanding? 

Thankfully, Morty was able to lower the ship without much difficulty, and it wasnt until the car was parked did he finally release his white knuckled grip on the wheel with a silent sigh of relief. Rick leaned forward, bony fingers effortlessly twisting the keys free from the ignition, successfully silencing the engine. 

Morty sat with his face turned away, another wave of emotion suddenly washing over him. He shouldn't have even let Rick talk him into driving. He blinked rapidly and thankfully the gathering tears retreated back from the brims of his eyes, remaining unshed for the time being. 

"Now," Rick began as he pocketed the keys. "What the _fuck_ is your deal?" 

Morty weighed his options. His initial instinct was to just tell Rick everything that was on his mind, but the scowl he had been holding reminded him to keep his guard up. Rick wouldn't understand anyways. "N-Nothing," he grunted, and already he knew he sounded stupid. 

"Don't you _even!"_ Just as he had expected, Rick replied with exasperation, his brow forming an angry 'v' atop his closed eyes. "That tantrum you just threw wasn't _'nothing',_ Morty." There was a pause and Morty found his heart stopping at what his grandpa said next. "What's this about? What's got you _soo_ fucking paranoid that you suddenly can't even hold the keys without shaking like a leaf?" There was a pause. "Wait, is this about that stupid ass school trip?" 

All colour washed clean from Morty's face. 

"That's what this is about, isn't it? Isn't it?!" 

Morty couldn't take it anymore.

_"Yes!"_ he finally screamed, his hands clawing through his hair in anxious desperation as unwanted memories flashed across his eyes. 

It was supposed to be a fun trip. But the bus ride home in the dark...the screeching brakes, the swerving, the _screams._

Morty had been thrown from his bus seat and into the window, his head making an unsettling _crack!_ sound against the glass as the bus veered off the highway. He had heard Summer scream in terror from somewhere in the back of the bus, but he couldn't see her. Blood was gushing out of his head just above his ear. The world was spinning, and Morty couldn't see. He couldn't see. He couldn't see– 

"Morty! Morty! Hey! _Morty!"_

It took a solid 10 seconds before Morty realized that Rick was shaking him by the shoulders, voice loud and panicked in his ears. It took him less time to realize that his face was wet with tears, and he found himself completely unaware of when he had actually started crying. 

"I-I-I'm s-sorry! I'm so-so sorry!" he cried, his face scrunching even further in anguish. "Its dumb, its dumb, it's so dumb–" 

To Morty's surprise, Rick was shaking his head, his lips puckered as he shushed him gently. "Hush, Morty, calm down, it's okay. It's okay," he kept repeating the words over and over, until Morty found himself parroting them as well. "I didn't know it had gotten to you that badly." 

Just as he thought he couldn't shed anymore tears, Rick leaned forward, long arms opening to envelope him in a comforting hug. 

Morty let out another sob of despair as he fell forward into his grandpa's embrace, fresh tears bubbling through his lashes and escaping at last. He knew he was crying like a bitch but he didn't care. He felt a huge weight being lifted from his shoulders in that moment, as if his lungs could completely expand for the first time since the accident. 

Despite trying his best to calm down and steady his voice, Morty still found his words breaking. "I t-thought I could get o-o-over it, Rick. It just scares me so much to realize that I don't have to be on some wacky, insane mission in space to scrape past death.. I-I was at school, on Earth! Something that should've been so normal, fun, safe t-t-turned into a nightmare, Rick! W-w-what if Summer g-got seriously hurt? I wouldn't have been able to save her! I just felt so trapped... People were screaming, Rick. T-they were bloody.. so sc-scared.." 

"Morty, buddy, y-you just busted your head a little, and Summer just got a couple of scratches. It was an accident. No one died–" 

"S-s-so suddenly people have to die for s-something to be t-t-traumatic?" 

Rick gently pushed Morty away to look him in the eye. "No, Morty, that's not what I meant... L-look, maybe I don't understand your fears or how to handle them, and that's okay. I don't have to, because even if I did, it wouldn't make you any more brave now. You see, people handle different situations, well, _differently._ You have every right to be scared, if that's how you truly feel, Morty." He gave him a gentle pat on the back. "Morty, all you had to do was tell me, and I would've listened." 

Morty wiped his face with the back of his hand, voice slightly edged with skepticism. "W-what, so you could call me a pussy or something for being worried about something that happened two months ago?" 

"Morty, you're never gonna get over this shit if you keep making scenarios up in that worried little head of yours. Trust me when I say this: your mind can be both a wonderful and terrible place to get trapped in." 

Morty let out a ragged sigh, his bottled emotions finally free and slowly ebbing away. He felt better, but at the same time, embarrassed beyond words. Rick was right. He didn't die. Summer was okay too. He had just gotten really scared, that's all. He had seen and been through a shit ton of things far worse, so why worry now? 

But something about the total loss of control... Morty cringed. He hoped to never feel that helpless ever again. 

"I think we should trade places now, buddy," Rick's voice swiftly brought Morty back to reality, gentle but also firm. 

Morty slowly nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt and crawling into the back seat to give Rick room to get into the driver's. 

As soon as they both readjusted themselves into their usual seats, Morty finally shut his eyes. He didn't want to think of this practice drive to have been a total disaster. He felt a lot better in fact. Having finally getting his paranoia of driving out in the open, he suddenly felt lighter. 

"Grandpa Rick?" Morty finally said a couple of minutes after their departure from the gas station. 

"Yeah, Morty?" 

"Thanks." 

"Don't worry about it."

**Author's Note:**

> so this oneshot may have been a vent fic 👉👈 I hope you guys enjoyed it anyways
> 
> -van~☆


End file.
